Windows 7 Upgrade Q&A

[RebateMonger]

Ok, just to be clear:

If I go out and buy the full retail version of Win 7, does the package include both 32 and 64-bit versions? Are these on separate discs, or on one disc with an installation option?

The boxed Full Retail versions of Win7 include both x32 and x64 versions.

 

[RebateMonger]

I have a Dell with Business version of Vista 32 bit. I did a system advisor test and says I have to use Windows 7 Professional 32 bit to upgrade.

A Windows 7 Home Premium UPGRADE DVD can be used on a PC with any version of XP or Vista pre-installed. The Win7 Upgrade Advisor is saying that you can only do a "in-place" upgrade Win7 Professional. The in-place upgrade would mean it'd upgrade Vista and leave your data and installed programs intact.

There's no problem with doing a "custom" or "clean" install to Win7 Home Premium in your case.

Here's Microsoft's recommended method of doing a "custom" installation:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-vista-to-windows-7-custom

 

[Gunslinger08]

Just to be clear, I can purchase the Home Premium upgrade and do a clean install over my Vista Ultimate install?

 

[jaytone1]

I have 3 computers at home, all running Vista.

I bought the Family pack which allows for 3 computers.

I just upgraded my computer, inserted the activation code and activated it.

The family pack only came with 1 activation code, so here are my questions

1. Shouldn't there be 3 activation codes in the box ? If not, do I use the same code for each computer ?

2. If in the future I need to reinstall the Upgrade on computer because of maybe installing a new hard drive or reformatting, do I use the same code or do I have to call microsoft to get a new code ?

3. Once installed, is there a limit as to how many times you can reinstall the upgrade on the same computer using the same activation code ?

 

[RebateMonger]

Just to be clear, I can purchase the Home Premium upgrade and do a clean install over my Vista Ultimate install?

Yes. The Win7 Upgrade can do a clean install over ANY version of XP or Vista.

 

[biostud]

A better guide has been posted here:

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp


I have 3 HDD and I'm planning on installing win7 on my newest HDD (not my winXP drive). The partition contains currently contain my games. Just to be perfectly sure before installing, win7 will not erase my data on the partition I install it to, right?

 

[RebateMonger]

The family pack only came with 1 activation code, so here are my questions

1. Shouldn't there be 3 activation codes in the box ? If not, do I use the same code for each computer.

I haven't SEEN a Win7 Family Pack, but folks are, indeed, saying there's only a single Key.

My GUESS is that Microsoft is giving only a single Key to avoid folks buying the Family Pack and splitting the Keys with strangers.

Regarding re-Activation:
I did a quick search and pulled up this answer on the Social.Technet.Microsoft.Com forums. Note this answer is NOT from Microsofot, nor from a Microsoft MVP. But it's been "Marked as Answer" by a Microsoft employee:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com...l/thread/7df518b9-b2e0-48da-afeb-a27e4c2a39b2

"In reality there is no such thing as a 'limited number of activations' available for your Family Pack license. You are permitted to install it on 3 separate machines, and you can reinstall/reactivate those machines an unlimited number of times!

What CAN happen, however, is the failure of AUTOMATIC activation. A 'counter' is maintained temporarily, and it gets regularly reset after the passage of a specified period of time. If you activate too frequently within that period of time, then automatic online or telephone activation will fail, and you will need to manually activate over the telephone.

Should that occur, you choose the 'Activate by telephone' option, patiently work through the 'automatic telephone activation' procedure that the telphone robot steps you through, and then listen to the telephone handset keypress options presented to you when automatic telephone activation also fails. One of those options will be to speak with a call centre person, so choose that. Explain the situation as briefly and clearly as possible, to avoid the chance of confusion. Refrain from offering unnecessary information. The call centre person, once assured that your licensing obligations are as they should be, will step you through the process of manual activation. It is best to be at the console when you ring, and to have pen/paper in hand. The 'code' you will be given to enter is rather lengthy.

If you only ever install/activate about once every six months or so you will almost certainly NEVER encounter automatic activation failure.

To minimise the 'wastage' of activation events during the required period, it is best to deselect the 'Activate when online' option during the installation, and to refrain from activating your install until AFTER you have it fully configured and confirmed working correctly."

 

[Gunslinger08]

Question about the family pack. I have Vista Ultimate installed on my desktop. Will it be able to upgrade that? One thing I had read said it only worked for Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, and Business.

 

[RebateMonger]

Question about the family pack. I have Vista Ultimate installed on my desktop. Will it be able to upgrade that? One thing I had read said it only worked for Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, and Business.

A Win7 Upgrade disk (including the Win7 Family Pack disk) will upgrade ANY version of Vista or XP. You'll have to do a "clean install", though.

 

[larrytucaz]

A really out-there question from an out-there guy (ha ha).

I have been, for years, running a "tricked out" Windows XP disc. That is, you don't have to activate it, you just install it, "trick it out," and go. (It does flunk the "genuine" test, though--as you'd expect!)

Now, before anyone spanks my hand with the ruler--no, no, no, I am not asking "how do I trick-out Windows 7" or whatever, nor condoning my past "work-around" tricks. It's just that as a result I never had to fuss with any of that activation stuff at all due to this, it's totally foreign to me. As I am about to be running a computer with Vista/Windows 7, I need to know what's what.

In my case, I'm getting a machine that includes a Vista Home Basic SP1 restore disc, and the prior person upgraded it to Windows 7 prior to this (not sure what version). No Windows 7 disc is included.

My questions are.

(1) How is this possible if Windows 7 has to be activated? And if it is, I'm guessing it's a license violation?

(2) Couldn't I do a system image backup of this and use it again in the future in the event I need to reinstall? (I am guessing that's license circumvention, though.)

(3) If I used the Vista Home Basic SP1 restore CD, does that installation have to be activated?

(4) Perhaps the main question--what is the deal with activation anyway? Basically I like to install programs "in a vacuum," that is, without having to register or contact anyone--just install it and go. Along those same lines I don't like the downloads for programs where, instead of having all you need to install "offline," it's an executable that merely downloads more files during installation. I don't care for that sort of deal, I like to work 100% offline, period.

I DO NOT share my software with friends or that sort of thing, it's just that I do commonly tweak with computers and, in doing so, find myself having to "start clean" anew and I just like to do what I do on my own without having to mess with any complexities.

So, all that said, do I have to re-activate Windows everytime I reinstall it when the computer acts loopy? Is it a big deal to do, or is it something you can do in like 30 seconds?

When people talk about doing a "system image backup" of their Windows installation, wouldn't that circumvent this? I ask not so much to loophole license obligations so much as it's been suggested to me that this is the proper way to do a computer restoral, as opposed to wiping it out and building everything over from scratch (which is how I normally do it).

I hope my questions are okay and in the proper forum-thread etc.

 

[JackMDS]

Well there is a new term in our world.

Plain Upgrade which in this context means just going from one version to the other and paying less because you have old version.

Upgrade in-place, which means you can install Windows and retain your applications, files, and settings as they were in your previous edition of Windows.

In any case going from x86 to x64 can not be done using the in-place method.

 

[thatsright]

Is it just me, or it seems like 98% of this thread is about licensing, and/or how to get around it.....

Anyone know of a thorough step-by-step install guide for Win 7?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Just installed Win 7 on a new drive. After installing Firefox, how can I restore all of my old FF settings?

In the past, I could copy everything from here - C:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Mozilla but I haven't found an equivalent directory in Win 7. Doing this allowed me to keep all of my settings, extensions, bookmarks, cookies, etc...

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

edit - Figured it out

However, I can't boot my system without my Win 7 DVD. Keep getting this message:

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:

C:\Windows\system32\ntoskrnl.exe. Please re-install a copy of the above file. "

 

[macd7]

Question: I've read that Windows 7 is improved but even after searching google many times, I'm unclear on what these improvements are other than visualization. anyone have a good link or explanation for the improved registry? I've also heard Win7 registry is basically 'self maintaining' and to basically consider registry cleaners worthless in Win7, agree or disagree? I planned on installing a registry cleaner at some point, but since I rarely add/remove programs and use my Win7 laptop for real basic stuff, its making think its more trouble than what its worth to try to clean/compact the registry?

 

[JackMDS]

Live is Not all and none and what ever fit one circumstance might not fit the other. Yet most of the public discussion about technology are doen on a verbal Philosophical level.

There are many situation that a cleaner does nothing and others when it can help some help and improve security.

You can also comprise.

Get this, it is free and simple and it clean the real basic Junk out of the registry.

http://www.ccleaner.com/

 

[Oyeve]

Question: I've read that Windows 7 is improved but even after searching google many times, I'm unclear on what these improvements are other than visualization. anyone have a good link or explanation for the improved registry? I've also heard Win7 registry is basically 'self maintaining' and to basically consider registry cleaners worthless in Win7, agree or disagree? I planned on installing a registry cleaner at some point, but since I rarely add/remove programs and use my Win7 laptop for real basic stuff, its making think its more trouble than what its worth to try to clean/compact the registry?

I'll give you one of my personal examples:

Laptop 2.53GHZ Core 2 Duo, 3GB ram. A clean install of Vista business 32bit and all drivers loaded. BOOT time from time the laptop is turned on til the time I can actually use it after all is loaded 15 minutes.

Same laptop with a clean Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit install with all drivers loaded. Boot time til I can fully use it, about 1 minute.

Thats reason enough for me.

 

[samuel theirn]

You can buy the Windows 7 Ultimate upgrade. Any version of XP or Vista will work for any upgrade version of Windows 7. Because you're increasing in level (Home Premium to Ultimate), you'll even be able to do an in-place upgrade (keep all your programs). If you go the other way (Ultimate to Home Premium), you'd have to wipe the computer and start over.

 

[RebateMonger]

I'm un-stickying this thread, since Win7 has been out for several months now and there haven't been new posts in a while.

RebateMonger